Trespassing and Fishing Access

Trespassing and Fishing Access

Landowners and legal tenants control access to their property for fishing. Many choose to post their property with signs to limit that access. To allow fishing, they may give verbal permission. Most signs and posting requires the landowner to swear out a complaint against the offending party and be available to testify to the offense in court. Some landowners and tenants opt to erect “no hunting, fishing, or trapping without written permission” signs, or to utilize written permission and to issue citations without involvement of the landowner. If this system is used, the landowner must be certain to provide the required written permission to everyone except his immediate family residing with him, who are exempt.

Natural Resource Officers and other law enforcement officers may enter private property to perform their duties in the enforcement of statewide fishing regulations where they apply, as well as the taking of bullfrogs from ponds or other waters.